Reynolds plans to press Trump on Iowa’s ‘stop gap’ insurance plan

President Trump is scheduled to visit agricultural facilities at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids tomorrow afternoon. It’s part of Trump’s “Technology Week” focus and Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds will be on the campus with the president.

“I will thank him for his cabinet really being accessible and approachable,” Reynolds says, “looking for opportunities to provide flexibility for states as we continue to look for ways to grow the economy, address health care and safety issues that each one of the states are dealing with.”

Reynolds plans to raise a specific issue with Trump.

“Of course I’m going to talk about encouraging the White House to work with us on our stop-gap measure for insurance coverage so that we have an option for 72,000 Iowans,” Reynolds says, “to ensure that they have some kind of coverage beginning July 1 of 2018.”

Iowa’s insurance commissioner unveiled the plan last week. It aims to get younger Iowans — who are healthier and cheaper to insure — to use the federal government’s Affordable Care Act website to obtain insurance.

Ambassador Terry Branstad, Iowa’s former governor, is expected to be in Cedar Rapids tomorrow for Trump’s visit. U.S. Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue and U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross are also scheduled to be along for Trump’s trip. Branstad’s son, Eric, is a White House liaison who works in the Department of Commerce.